Dear Reader,
I have been studying a lot these past few days, reading books, blogs and my Bible. I'm working through trying to figure out some things in Genesis, and it isn't easy. These are things scholars and theologians have studied for lifetimes beyond the two days I've been wrestling with it. There's so much information, so many opinions, and sadly, a lot of anger and bitterness.
The issue of the woman being created as a "help" for Adam, questions of submission, equality and what all of this means for women today is a really heated topic. It hits us somewhere at the core of who we are and what we want for ourselves. Thus, emotions run high and people get angry.
I don't want to be one of those angry people. I don't know my opinion on Genesis 1 and 2 yet, in regards to who God created woman to be. I have not studied enough. But this past week I have struggled with a certain amount of frustration. While reading the blogs of people who are not theologians or scholars but rather men and women studying the Bible for themselves and giving their opinions, I have come across many confusing, illogical arguments, people who do not go to the Bible for answers but twist what the Bible says to back up their argument, and people who are simply stubborn and don't want to see another opinion for fear they may be proved wrong. I don't like being frustrated. It's not healthy. And I don't think we need to be frustrated or angry.
The key to this is: being willing to admit you may be wrong.
The more I study, the more I realize I know little to nothing about the topic I am taking on. There are so many people who know so much more than I do. But I do know that the Bible teaches about something called humility.
Humility, as defined by the Oxford Dictionary, is "the quality of having a modest or low view of one's importance." I would turn that on it's head and say humility is rather having a higher opinion of others than you do of yourself. Philippians 2:3 confirms this by saying "do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves."
The understanding that we are all sinners saved by a gracious, loving God is reason enough not to think highly of ourselves. We were lost and hopeless, and God saved us. He is forming us into the people He wants us to be, and humility says "I know you're a sinner like me, but I see God working in your life and therefore I love and respect you enough to think more of you than I think of myself."
We can recognize that others may have something to contribute that we hadn't thought of before. Or, if we think they are wrong, we can respect them enough to try and understand their point of view, even if we don't agree.
We also need to be able to admit when we are wrong, rather than insisting that our way is the right way.
I am continuing on this adventure, determined to practice humility, to learn, grow, admit when I am wrong, and above all, allow Jesus to continually change my heart and mind with His word.
Yours truly,
Amber Colleen
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